Lasts



1963 s. A. MAKOVSKI ETAL 3,075,213

LASTS Filed March 19, 1962 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 In ventorfi St epfien A.Make us/(i Raymond Snape .By their/12f ornes/ Feb. 5, 1963 3,076,213

S. A. MAKOVSKI ETAL LASTS Filed March 19, 1962 v 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Feb.5, 1963 s. A. MAKQVSKI ETAL 3,07 ,213

LASTS 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed March 19, 1962 United States a Patent Ofi3,076,213 Patented Feb. 5., 1963 ice This invention relates generally tolasts, and has particular reference to a last of the type which hasmeans for enabling the last to be positioned automatically in ashoemaking machine.

In United States Patent No. 2,806,233, issued September '17, 1957 toHubbard et al., there is disclosed a shoe last having a positioningplate disposed in the top of the heel part, said plate having formedthereon two sets of positioning surfaces, one set being disposed toposition the last for heel part operations, the other set being disposedto position the last for forepart operations.

Although positioning plates of the type shown in the above-identifiedapplication have been found satisfactory for use with lasts for mensshoes, the shape of said positioning plate has not been found convenientfor use with lasts for womens shoes, since such lasts have a relativelysmall bearing surface on the top of the heel part. For use with womenslasts, it is desirable that the positioning plate cover as much of thesurface as possible to avoid distortion of the last by pressures appliedthereto during shoe manufacturing operations.

A positioning plate of the type shown in the aboveidentified applicationhas the further disadvantage that to accomplish the positioningoperation, a relatively complex mechanism is required on the machine andin semiautomatic operations, where the last is fed to a machine by hand,the fitting of the last into the positioning mechanism is tedious andtime consuming.

The object of the present invention is to provide a positioning plateparticularly adapted for use with a last for ladies shoes, in that it isadapted to cover substantially the entire heel and surface withoutoverhanging the edges thereof.

A further object of the invention is to provide a last having apositioning plate with means disposed on the heel end for positioningthe last for heel operations and means disposed in the forward end forpositioning the last for forepart operations.

A further object of the invention is to provide a last having apositioning plate which is shaped to facilitate semiautomaticoperations.

Other objects of the invention will be apparent to one skilled in theart from the following detailed description of a specific embodimentthereof.

In the drawing,

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a last having a positioning plateembodying the features of the invention;

FIG. 2 is a view in section, partly in elevation, of a last embodyingthe features of the invention, which is mounted on a machine havingmeans for positioning the last for heel part operations;

FIG. 3 comprises two views each of which may be considered as sectionson line III--III of FIG. 2 illustrating the positioning for heel partoperations of both right and left lasts embodying the features of theinvention;

FIG. 4 is a view in section, partly in elevation, of a last of the typedescribed, which is mounted on a machine having means for positioningthe last for forepart operations; and,

FIG. 5 comprises two views, each of which may be considered as sectionson line V-V of FIG. 4, illustrating the positioning for forepartoperations of both right and left lasts embodying the features of theinvention.

Referring to the drawing, there is illustrated a last 10 of the usualconstruction, and comprises a forepart 12 and'a heel part 14 hingedtogether in any convenient manner. The heel part 14 has a flat uppersurface 16 which is parallel to the heel feather line plane. Apositioning plate 18 is secured to the surface 16 .by means of the usualthimble or socket member 20 and a pin 22.

The positioning plate 18 is of substantial thickness, with the peripherybeing shaped to provide two sets of positioning faces, one setcomprising surfaces 24 and 26 on the forward portions of the sides forpositioning the last for forepart operations, the other set comprisingsurfaces 28 and 30 disposed on the rear portion of the plate forpositioning the last for heel part operations.

In the illustrated embodiment the forepart positioning faces 24 and 26are parallel to the toe-to-socket plane of the last, shown on thedrawing as line T-T, and lie at equaldistances on opposite sidesthereof. The term toeto-socket plane of the last, as used herein and inthe claims is defined generally as a plane perpendicular to the forepartfeather line plane and passing through the center of the thimble orsocket hole and the foremost part of the toe.

The heel part positioning faces 28 and 30 are inclined to one anotherpreferably at an acute angle and are so disposed angularly in relationto each other that a line bisecting the included angle between the facesis parallel to and coincides with the heel center line plane of thelast. The term heel center line plane,as used herein and in the claims,is defined as a plane perpendicular to the heel feather line plane whichpasses through the center of the thimble or socket hole and the rearmostportion of the periphery of the heel, substantially bisecting the heelfeather line plane and is shown on the drawing as line H-H.

Hence, the line bisecting the angle between the heel positioning faces28 and 30, hereinafter referred to as the heel positioning center line,is disposed at the same angle to the center line of the forepartpositioning faces 24 and 26 hereinafter referred to as the forepartpositioning center line, as the heel center line plane is disposed tothe forepart center line plane. It is also apparent that the heelpositioning center line and the forepart positioning center lineintersect at the axis of the thimble in socket.

The rear end of the plate may be provided with a projection 32 forengagement with a retaining spring 34 to retain the last in thepositioning mechanism of a machine as will appear hereinafter.

The above described positioning plate is adapted for use with both rightand left lasts with the plate for a left last as seen in plan view beinga mirror image of the plate for a right last.

To accommodate lasts with positioning plates of the type describedabove, a machine intended for performing operations on the heel end ofthe shoe may be provided with a positioning apparatus (see FIGS. 2 and3) comprising a support 36, with thimble pin 38 extending upwardly fromthe support and a positioning abutment 40 disposed in the support inspaced relation to the thimble post. The abutment 40 has a pair ofpositioning surfaces 42 and 44 disposed at an angle to each other, saidangle being equal to the angle between the heel positioning faces 28 and30, and being so oriented that the bisector of said angle passes throughthe axis of the thimble post.

Hence when a last is assembled onto the positioning apparatus, the lastis positioned by the apparatus in such a manner that the heel centerline is disposed in a predetermined orientation in relation to themachine, with said orientation being the same with both right and leftlasts.

A machine to perform operations on the forepart of a shoe carried by theabove described last may be provided with a positioning apparatus (seeFIGS. 4 and 5) comprising a support 46 having a thimble pin 48 and apair of positioning blocks 50 and 52 disposed thereon in spaced relationto receive the forward end of the last positioning plate therebetween.The inner surfaces of the blocks 50 and 52 are spaced equal distances onopposite sides of a line passing through the thimble post in coincidencewith which it is desired to orient the toe-to-socket plane of the last.Hence, the toe end of both right and left lasts will be oriented in thesame position in relation to the machine.

Since certain obvious changes may be made in the illustrative devicewithout departing from the scope of the invention, it is intended thatall matters contained herein be interpreted in an illustrative and notin a limiting sense.

Having thus described our invention, what we claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. A last having positioning means formed on the upper portion of theheel part, said positioning means having surfaces on the forward portionthereof for positioning the last for forepart operations and surfaces onthe rear portion theref for positioning the last for heel partoperations.

2. A last having an elongated positioning member disposed on the heelpart, said member having a thimble hole extending therethrough, means onthe positioning member on one side of the thimble hole for positioningthe last for forepart operations and means disposed thereon on theopposite side of the thimble hole for positioning the last for heel partoperations.

3. A last having an elongated positioning member disposed on the heelpart, said member having a thimble aperture extending therethrough,means disposed thereon forwardly of the thimble hole for positioning thelast for forepart operations and means disposed thereon rearwardly ofthe thimble hole for positioning the last for heel part operations.

4. A last having an elongated positioning member disposed on the heelpart, said member having a pair of surfaces on the forward end thereoforiented in a predetermined position in relation to the forepart shapeof the last for positioning the last for forepart operations, and a pairof suraces on the rear portion thereof oriented in a predeterminedmanner in relation to the heel part shape of the last for positioningthe last for heel part operations.

5. A last having an elongated positioning member disposed on the uppersurface of the heel part and a socket in the heel part, said memberhaving a pair of surfaces on the forward end which are parallel to atoe-tosocket plane of the last and disposed on opposite sides thereoffor positioning the last for forepart operations and a pair of surfaceson the rear end of the member for positioning the last for heel partoperations, a line disposed midway between said latter pair of surfaceslying on a heel center-line plane of the last.

6. A last having an elongated positioning member disposed on the uppersurface of the heel part, said member having a socket disposed thereon,a first pair of side surfaces disposed forwardly of the socket forpositioning the last for forepart operations, said first pair of sidesurfaces being parallel to a toe-to-socket plane of the last anddisposed an equal distance on opposite sides thereof, and a second pairof side surfaces disposed rearwardly of the socket for positioinng thelast for heel part operations, the side surfaces of said second pairbeing disposed at an angle to each other, the bisection of said anglelying on a heel center line plane of the last, whereby said bisectedangle and a line midway between said first pair of surfaces intersect atthe axis of the socket.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS2,806,233 Hubbard et a1 Sept. 17, 1957

1. A LAST HAVING POSITIONING MEANS FORMED ON THE UPPER PORTION OF THEHEEL PART, SAID POSITIONING MEANS HAVING SURFACES ON THE FORWARD PORTIONTHEREOF FOR POSITIONING THE LAST FOR FOREPART OPERATIONS AND SURFACES ONTHE REAR PORTION THEREOF FOR POSITIONING THE LAST FOR HEEL PARTOPERATIONS.